A plane, commissioned by the Downtown Detroit Partnership (DDP), will fly over the Detroit River Monday wishing Canadians a happy Thanksgiving. “Detroit and Canada bridged together in friendship. Happy Thanksgiving and a big thank you,” that’s what the 30-foot banner will say, according to DDP CEO Eric Larson. The plane and banner are courtesy of the DDP, a non-profit that strengthens Downtown Detroit through strategic initiatives, programs, and public-private collaborations. John Paul Stando is a tour guide who has felt the ramifications of the current trade war and likes the DDP’S initiative. “25 per cent of my business used to be Canadians. That has evaporated so it has had a direct negative impact on me so yeah, anything that makes the relationship better,” Stando said, who was taking two visitors from California on a tour of Michigan Central. One of the visitors is hopeful both countries will get through the trade war. “And Canada hopefully understands it’s not all of us that feel that way in the U.S.,” they said. Canadians also welcome the fly by. “This trade war is ridiculous and, in fact, this tariff war and all of these things we wish it would go away to reinstall that healthy friendship relationship that we’ve always had for so many years now,” said Natalie Bourgoin. Earl Jones, a veteran who at the age of 87 doesn’t visit the States as often as he used to, doesn’t have ill feeling towards the people of America. “We’re still friends with the U.S., even though what’s going on,” Jones said. The DDP works with the Windsor International Film Festival and many other people and organizations in the city to promote and foster the binational relationship. The plane will fly over the Detroit River between the Gordie Howe International Bridge and Belle Isle from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday. “Making sure that we’re continuing to remind people that this is an important place and it’s going to be important a lot longer than any one administration and so let’s lean into that,” Larson said.
